Preacher Daryl’s art for God

Street preacher creates Bible-based coloring book

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — “Hey what’s up? This is Preacher Man,” this is how Preacher Daryl Manders answers his cellphone anytime it rings.

After 20 years of drinking, drugging and jumping in and out of jail, Manders said he spent the past two years preaching on the streets of Forsyth County spreading the word of God to those who would listen and praying for those who asked.

“I became a real man when I went to prison for selling pain pills,” Manders said. “I finally surrendered and I told the Lord Jesus ‘I’ve had enough. Take it.’ I strive every day to plant seeds with his artwork and pray for people on the streets.”

Manders said God gave him four gifts in life: aura, artwork, First Timothy and the gift of speaking tongues. Through the gift of artwork, God inspired Manders to create “Holy Bible Kids Coloring Book: Gospel Teaching for Children and Adults.”

“The children are going to be interested in coloring everything and their parents are going to have to read it to them,” Manders said. “So even the parents that are weak and aren’t born again — it’s going to get them too.”

The book will include 14 color pictures and 26 black and white pictures. Each page includes the words of scripture that God told Manders to include, he said.

Aurea McGarry, television Emmy winner and founder of the Live Your Legacy Summit national event series helping nonprofits and local businesses achieve their greatest legacies, discovered Manders’ artistic talent while he was at an office print shop.

“I came up to him and noticed the beautiful artwork he had that he was trying to get copied,” McGarry said. “We just clicked on what he was doing and we clicked on a Christian level too.”

McGarry gave Manders her card, and helped him get connected with printers who could help him turn his drawings into a full coloring book.

“I’ve just been with him along the way because I saw amazing talent sitting there. I feel like God told me to give him a helping hand,” McGarry said. “He is just is living by faith that God will open up doors for him, so if I can help him in that way, I would love to.”

McGarry said once Manders’ coloring book is printed, she plans on taking it to her organization for sale and promotion as well as distributing it with her church congregation.

“God wants it to go around the world,” Manders said. “God can do anything. The church is the body of Christ, and I am going to have my own building one day if it is God’s will. I feel that it is.”

Although Manders is currently living in his car, he continues to teach what God puts in his spirit. Manders said he gives testimony, prays for people and relays the sermon and truth that God gives him.

“The reason I can say this so strongly is because God has healed me of so many things,” Manders said. “It took me three years to walk 10 feet, and now I walk miles talking about the king of kings. People have been born again because of my obedience and all the glory to God. He is just an awesome God.”

Manders will be at J’s Southern Smoke Barbeque, 101 Colony Park Drive in Cumming, to sell and sign his coloring book June 22. For more information or to speak with Manders, call him at 678-791-5647.